Using generic syrup for brewing?

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Brew2Be

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 4, 2011
Messages
192
Reaction score
15
Location
Somewhere
Hi HBT. I have been fiddling around with the idea of fermenting something based on syrup that just tastes sweet. Not like maple syrup but generic tasting sweet light colored syrup. Has anyone tried this before? My plan is to mix syrup, water, nutrition, yeast and maybe some fruit or spices.
 
Hi HBT. I have been fiddling around with the idea of fermenting something based on syrup that just tastes sweet. Not like maple syrup but generic tasting sweet light colored syrup. Has anyone tried this before? My plan is to mix syrup, water, nutrition, yeast and maybe some fruit or spices.

honey:p
 
I've made a awesome dry mead that was as close to champagne as you could get... That's 100% honey!! Haven't tried the agave nector yet but it is in the future for me.. Might only make a 2 liter to see what happens before doing a full batch :mug:
 
What are you talking specifically about doing and about using? Are you talking about trying to make a beer, or hooch? Are you talking about trying to find and use a maltose based syrup, something like what folks have mentioned, or HFCS (High fructose corn syrup-which unless you get some really pure stuff there is a brand some brewers use that is only hfcs, most contains flavorings like vanilla and preservatives).

What are you trying to make?
 
Revvy said:
What are you talking specifically about doing and about using? Are you talking about trying to make a beer, or hooch? Are you talking about trying to find and use a maltose based syrup, something like what folks have mentioned, or HFCS (High fructose corn syrup-which unless you get some really pure stuff there is a brand some brewers use that is only hfcs, most contains flavorings like vanilla and preservatives).

What are you trying to make?

I'll guess he's trying for hooch. In his previous posts, he's talked about sugar wine, higher abv, "do I need to use hops in beer..." Sounds like dorm room "chem experiments" to me. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Just my guess.
 
What are you talking specifically about doing and about using? Are you talking about trying to make a beer, or hooch? Are you talking about trying to find and use a maltose based syrup, something like what folks have mentioned, or HFCS (High fructose corn syrup-which unless you get some really pure stuff there is a brand some brewers use that is only hfcs, most contains flavorings like vanilla and preservatives).

What are you trying to make?

I only now noticed that this is in the beer forum (doh!). If a moderator would move this thread to an appropriate forum it would really be appreciated.
I am trying to make something like mead but just with syrup (since the syrup is much cheaper than honey, atleast here). Therefor I was wondering whether anyone has tried this before I went to do it. It is probably possisble, I know, but I guess my main question is whether it will be tasty.
 
Hey,here's one. Maybe add some red raspberries or the like & make some smurfin off?...Then drink it during a hunt. Then you'll be "armed & hammered"! lolz
 
unionrdr said:
Hey,here's one. Maybe add some red raspberries or the like & make some smurfin off?...Then drink it during a hunt. Then you'll be "armed & hammered"! lolz

Lol.... If its gonna be "smurfin off" maybe blueberries would be appropriate ;)
 
What syrup are you proposing to use? Some sugars are not fermentable. If you're looking for a cheap drunk, search for "skeeter pee" I read the recipie and it sounds interesting, although I've never made it. At least its been made by several people and declared tasty.
 
What syrup are you proposing to use? Some sugars are not fermentable. If you're looking for a cheap drunk, search for "skeeter pee" I read the recipie and it sounds interesting, although I've never made it. At least its been made by several people and declared tasty.

It's kinda difficult to say what kind of syrup it is. It is just cheap syrup like the stuff you put on pancakes. It goes for $2 per 750 ml Thanks! I'll look up skeeter pee just now!
 
It's kinda difficult to say what kind of syrup it is. It is just cheap syrup like the stuff you put on pancakes. It goes for $2 per 750 ml Thanks! I'll look up skeeter pee just now!

Ingredients of generic pancake syrups-

CORN SYRUP, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, WATER, CELLULOSE GUM, CARAMEL COLOR, SALT, SODIUM BENZOATE AND SORBIC ACID (PRESERVATIVES), ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL FLAVORS, SODIUM HEXAMETAPHOSPHATE.

It's highly unlikely it will ferment.
 
And if it does, it will taste horrendous. Far worse than even the cheapest vodka.

I'm guessing the OP is a kid, but I guess it's useless to speculate about that.
 
And if it does, it will taste horrendous. Far worse than even the cheapest vodka.

I'm guessing the OP is a kid, but I guess it's useless to speculate about that.

Have to disappoint you there, mister. I have made cider and mead and want to experiment with other stuff. I can legally buy alcohol since I am of age. It's sad that one can't ask a question about new things without getting that kind of comments.
 
Brew2Be said:
Have to disappoint you there, mister. I have made cider and mead and want to experiment with other stuff. I can legally buy alcohol since I am of age. It's sad that one can't ask a question about new things without getting that kind of comments.

The thing is, this isn't a "new thing" by any stretch of the imagination. The only reasons to do this are if you have to keep the whole thing fairly secret, or if you're looking to get the absolute cheapest drunk possible, regardless of the fact that calling it "hooch" would be generous.

In other words, the kind of concerns a kid would have. My saying that has *nothing* to do with trying something "new".
 
The thing is, this isn't a "new thing" by any stretch of the imagination. The only reasons to do this are if you have to keep the whole thing fairly secret, or if you're looking to get the absolute cheapest drunk possible, regardless of the fact that calling it "hooch" would be generous.

In other words, the kind of concerns a kid would have. My saying that has *nothing* to do with trying something "new".

I don't know your definition of new but I think it is something new if I haven't done it before. I appreciate your reply though (about the possible taste of it) since it answered my question. The bottom line is; I wasn't asking about how old you think I am but about fermenting syrup. That should about wrap it up.
 
I would think Karo syrup would be *better* (I'll use that loosely) than pancake syrup... and not a whole heck more expensive. Not 100% sure on that though.
 
Brew2Be said:
I don't know your definition of new but I think it is something new if I haven't done it before. I appreciate your reply though (about the possible taste of it) since it answered my question. The bottom line is; I wasn't asking about how old you think I am but about fermenting syrup. That should about wrap it up.

Why don't you try making beer then? With my equipment and buying bulk grain and hops, I can actually make a 5gal batch of beer for under $10. That's less than $2 per gallon - way cheaper than paying $2 for a 750ml bottle of syrup.

Heck, $2 for a 750ml bottle means it would cost you over $10/gallon. You can make a quick, easy, and damn good extract beer for less than that. You can even buy great extract kits with everything you need for less than that!

And if you haven't made apfelwein, it can take less than a minute to whip together, is pretty much impossible to screw up, and costs between $2-$6 per gallon, depending on the apple juice you buy. And it tastes great, especially if you can give it a bit of time.

Paying $10/gallon to make undrinkable rocket fuel makes no sense at all, when you can do MUCH better, for cheaper. That's why I was suspecting age was a factor. If it's not (which, like I said, we have no way of knowing), then I apologize.
 
Why don't you try making beer then? With my equipment and buying bulk grain and hops, I can actually make a 5gal batch of beer for under $10. That's less than $2 per gallon - way cheaper than paying $2 for a 750ml bottle of syrup.

Heck, $2 for a 750ml bottle means it would cost you over $10/gallon. You can make a quick, easy, and damn good extract beer for less than that. You can even buy great extract kits with everything you need for less than that!

And if you haven't made apfelwein, it can take less than a minute to whip together, is pretty much impossible to screw up, and costs between $2-$6 per gallon, depending on the apple juice you buy. And it tastes great, especially if you can give it a bit of time.

Paying $10/gallon to make undrinkable rocket fuel makes no sense at all, when you can do MUCH better, for cheaper. That's why I was suspecting age was a factor. If it's not (which, like I said, we have no way of knowing), then I apologize.

I'm sorry I got a little defensive. Water under the bridge..
I have been thinking about getting into beer (I started with wine). Beer seems to have faster fermentation time (maybe because of the lower target ABV?) and beer sure tastes good :). The wine I have made is something like Apfelwein but made with another juice. You are very right about your rocket fuel point.. If I wanted that i could just make sugar wine.. And that was the same reason I posted here :) I didn't want to make something that would taste awful - that would be a plain waste of time. Is all-grain brewing worth the time it takes to prepare compared to the results you get from extract brewing?
 
No, the costs involved in startup for all grain brewing are considerable, even if you Frankenstein a setup. Plus, to get to those prices per batch (which I'm close to myself), you need to be buying in bulk - which again is a bit of an investment for someone who has such financial concerns as you.

My advice would be to look into some sort of mead offshoot. Maybe caramelize a bunch of table sugar then add it to some boiling water with some honey and a bunch of chopped ginger. That might be ok enough to consume. Or skeeter pee as mentioned.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top